NEFA Foundation: Al-Qaida Says Two of Saudi's 85 "Most Wanted" Already Dead
By Evan Kohlmann
The NEFA Foundation has learned that at least two of those who have been listed on the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia's most recent roster of its 85 most wanted terror suspects may already be dead. Two years ago, in January 2007, family members of the #32 most wanted, Saudi national Sultan Radi al-Otaibi, announced his apparent "martyrdom" in neighboring Iraq: "Allah rewarded him with martyrdom five days ago (January 12, 2007) in the city of Baghdad during a fierce battle with American forces." Likewise, the #47 name on the Saudi most wanted roster—Abdullah Mohammed Abdullah al-Ayad—was profiled as a deceased “martyr” in a propaganda video released by Al-Qaida's As-Sahab Media Foundation in early 2008. During the video, a masked man identified as al-Ayad was shown with other mujahideen fighters in Afghanistan, as he addressed the camera: “Praise be to Allah who freed us from our prisons and brought us to the land of jihad, after being separated by the tyrants. So, we say to these tyrants that, by Allah, your alliance with the Cross and your imprisonment of the finest from our nation are the weapons of the mujahideen… we know the reality of the tyrants through having walked the halls of their jails and into [the doors] of their intelligence bureaus. And, by Allah, this hasn’t weakened their faith, nor has it deterred what is in their hearts. Allah willing, you will witness that soon… For those of our brothers who are in prison now, by Allah, we shall not take any other action, nor will we have peace of mind, nor will our eyes rest until you are alongside us fighting in our jihad... So be patient, we are coming. And if we don’t succeed, then others will follow and climb over our blood and corpses.
An English translation of the al-Otaibi communique and an English-subtitled excerpt of the al-Ayad video from As-Sahab can be downloaded from the NEFA Foundation website.
